


Daryl Dixon/The Walking Dead Inktober

by cellostiel



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alexandria Safe-Zone, Established Relationship, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Inktober, Love Confessions, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2019-01-08 17:27:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12258837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cellostiel/pseuds/cellostiel
Summary: A series of drabbles done for Inktober.





	1. Nostalgia

**Author's Note:**

> heyo sorry these are super short but they do get a bit longer as they go on! I have five of them done so far, and I'll be posting the first three today to catch up! after that, it'll be one a day!
> 
> **all of them are from Daryl's pov.** most of these take place in the Alexandria Safe-Zone unless otherwise stated, and Beth and Hershel are both alive still. the only ship present here is Daryl/Rick. Daryl and Beth's relationship is strictly platonic. please don't comment telling me it should be otherwise, a romantic relationship between them really squicks me out. 
> 
> thank you for reading, and please enjoy!

He misses his mom, sometimes. When Carol cooks or he brushes Beth's hair for her when she asks, or when he's feeding his Lil' Asskicker her formula. It all reminds him of the days before Merle left. Not exactly good days, but not as bad as the ones to come. 

It's a fleeting thought, one he doesn't have often, but one he has nonetheless. He hopes nothing so stupid ever gets him. He doesn't want Carol or Judith or Beth to feel that way about him. Not for a long, long time. 


	2. Flicker

The bedside light flickers, and for a moment, Daryl thinks the power is going to go out. He pauses, waits. But the power holds steady. 

"Everything alright?" RIck asks, coming into the kitchen. 

"Yep." Daryl grunts, turning over his crossbow to clean it. 

"Coming to bed?" Rick leans against the doorframe, waiting as Daryl makes up his mind.

"... Yeah, in a minute." Daryl finally decides. 

"Good. Love you."

"You, too." Daryl mumbles, too focused on his task to really absorb what Rick said. It will comes to him in a few minutes, once Rick is upstairs, and it'll take him longer than he'd like to admit to gather up the courage to go upstairs. Rick will already be asleep by then, and Daryl will hesitate by the door. After another round of gathering courage, he'll go and kiss Rick on the temple, watching the man smile in his sleep, and murmur, "You, too." into his skin. Then he'll get into bed, crawl into Rick's arms, and settle down for the night. 


	3. Cyclical

They say violence is a cycle, that victims of it will perpetuate it and cast it onto others. 

His father was abused, then Merle, then Daryl. Merle never struck him, not until the pit at Woodbury, but he knows Merle was bad for him in other ways. Doesn't mean he mourns his brother any less. Merle was his only family for over a decade. Even now, it's hard to admit that he  _ has _ other family, that Rick and the others mean more to him than just some people he got stuck with. 

When he holds that baby girl in his arms, he'd rather die than let any harm ever come to her. If there is a cycle, then he's breaking it. 


	4. Exhale

"Just breathe, Daryl."

"I'm  _ trying. _ " Daryl growls, glaring at Rick. "Fuckin' hurts." 

"I know, but you just gotta keep with it." 

Hershel sews him up quietly, making efficient work of the gash in his side. Daryl does his best the breathe through the pain.

"It'll be okay." Rick says, in that calm voice of his, and Daryl starts to believe him.


	5. Pearl

They're on a run, digging through a store, when Daryl comes across it. A small comb in a jewelry case. Mother of Pearl, he thinks. The first thing he thinks of is Beth, with her long hair and only her fingers to comb through it. She'd love something like this. 

He looks around for walkers, makes sure the coast is clear before smashing the case with the butt of his crossbow. Using the rag from his back pocket, he picks through the glass and grabs the comb, wrapping it carefully in the cloth. 

They get home, to the house they've claimed as their own, and Daryl pulls Beth to the side to give her the gift. She's beaming even before she unwraps it, telling him how he didn't have to get her anything. He did have to, he thinks. 

"Oh, Daryl," she breathes, delicately holding the comb up to the light. "It's beautiful." she says, then pulls him into a hug. He lets her, patting her back with one arm. 

Pulling away, she asks, "Would you comb my hair?" He bites back a "why?" and nods. 

They sit down on the porch, and he gently runs the comb through her hair, careful to get the knots out without pulling her hair too hard. 

"Thank you." she says quietly, and he nods.

**Author's Note:**

> you can also find me @cellostiel on twitter!


End file.
